The Psychological Choice Environment of Vaccine Decision Making: Two Examples, One Warning

October 15, 2014 11:02 PM

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When Edward Jenner proposed to the parents of 8-year-old James Phipps the risky idea that rubbing some stuff from sick cows onto the young lad might protect him from small pox, James' parents faced a choice. It was 1794 and smallpox was ravaging the British population, and in that emotional environment, the fear of smallpox won out over the frightening idea Jenner was proposing.

With no data or experience to go on, James' parents could only rely on their emotions and instincts. Since then, we've learned an immense amount about vaccination, firmly establishing that the benefits of vaccines far outweigh their real but minimal risks. But those facts don't change the reality th...